Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Recreation and Parks Department to enter into contract with Michael Baker International, Inc. to provide engineering services associated with the parkland design for the Alum Creek Trail Connections - Mock Road and Sunbury Drive Project. The contract amount is $529,821.00, with a contingency of $32,660.00, for a total of $562,481.00 being authorized by this ordinance.
The Alum Creek Trail - Mock Road Connector will become a direct 1.2 mile connection for the near Northeast Community to the City’s regional trail system. The connector will be a 10 foot wide paved path from the Alum Creek Trail at Sunbury Drive and Mock Road, heading west and connecting directly to the city’s new Hudson Street Greenway. This connection will open a seamless 3.5 mile east-west trail from I-71, near the proposed Community Sports Park, to the Alum Creek Trail. By linking these two east-west projects, over 6,000 residents of the Arlington Park, Woodland Holt, Brittany Hills, Argyle Park, and East Linden neighborhoods will be within 10 minutes of walking and biking connectivity to parks, churches, schools, retail, and jobs.
The Alum Creek Trail - Sunbury Drive Connector will link trail users from the Alum Creek Trail to Sunbury Drive and Sunbury Road, ultimately connecting to a private development proposed shared use path off of Agler Road. This connection will further extend the reaches of the greenway network to the Northeast Area neighborhoods. This contract covers the environmental assessment and preliminary engineering portions of the Sunbury Drive Connector portion of work.
In February of 2020, the Department applied for Clean Ohio Trail Funds to build a trail connection to the Alum Creek Trail from Mock Road for the near Northeast area of Columbus, as authorized by Ordinance 0426-2020. In March of 2021, the Department received notice that the grant was approved. The Clean Ohio Trails Fund will be providing $485,000 of the construction costs for the Mock Road Connector. The Department of Development’s UIRF (Urban Infrastructure Recovery Fund) program will be providing $400,000.00 in funds towards the Sunbury Drive connection.
This design contract is anticipated to proceed in February 2022 and have construction plans ready for bidding by June of 2023.
Vendor Bid/Proposal Submissions (ODI designation status):
Proposals were advertised through Vendor Services, in accordance with City Code Section 329, on October 21, 2021 and received by the Recreation and Parks Department on November 10, 2021. Proposals were received from the following firms:
Michael Baker International, Inc. (MAJ)
Moody Engineering (MBE)
Of note, professional services contracts are quality based selections and not based on price. Costs were not requested nor where they part of this evaluation.
In accordance with City Code, a selection team evaluated the proposals and recommended that Michael Baker International, Inc. be selected to perform the work. The firm was chosen based on their referenced projects, experience, qualifications, availability, timeline, and project approach.
Principal Parties:
Michael Baker International, Inc.
250 West Street, Suite 420, Columbus, OH, 43215
Sonja Simpson, 614-538-7627, Sonja.simpson@mbakerintl.com
Contract Compliance Number, Tax ID: 001926, 25-1228638
December 1, 2023
Emergency Justification: Emergency action is requested as the State of Ohio grant funding the future construction portion of this project has a deadline of July of 2022 for the consultant to complete the environmental assessment and public engagement for this project.
Benefits to the Public: The near Northeast area of Columbus lacks safe and significant open spaces and parks. Designing a greenway trail along Mock Road to the City’s new Hudson Street Greenway and designing a greenway trail connecting the Alum Creek Trail to Sunbury Drive ties directly to the City’s goal of providing a lift to inner city neighborhoods cut off from safe and easy access to greenways and outdoor experiences. Additionally, four schools, seven churches, three markets, a 100 acre park, an athletic complex, a senior living facility, and a child care facility are located along the Mock Road Corridor’s 1.2 miles. The Sunbury Drive to Agler Road connection has been noted as a key access for the near Northeast Community to the regional trail, Howard Community Center, and the Mifflin Junior High School.
Community Input/Issues: Letters of Support were received from non-profit organizations, residents, a school principal, and the Central Ohio Greenways board. The project team will further public engagement, during the winter of 2022, through open houses, an online survey, social media, and key stakeholder meetings.
Area(s) Affected: Northeast (41)
Master Plan Relation: This project supports the Department’s Master Plan by improving access to trails and greenways corridors. It provides equitable and safe access to the trail system for underserved communities.
Fiscal Impact: $562,481.00 is budgeted and available from within the Special Purpose Fund 2223, Subfund 222332 and Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund 7702 to meet the financial obligations of this contract.
Title
To authorize the Director of Recreation and Parks to enter into contract with Michael Baker International, Inc. to provide professional services associated with the Alum Creek Trail Connections - Mock Road and Sunbury Drive Project; to authorize the appropriation of $79,000.00 within the Special Purpose Fund; to authorize the transfer of $483,481.00 within the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund, to authorize the amendment of the 2021 Capital Improvements Budget; to authorize the expenditure of $562,481.00 from the Special Purpose Fund and Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($562,481.00)
Body
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the Director of the Recreation and Parks to enter into contract with Michael Baker International, Inc. to provide professional services associated with the Alum Creek Trail Connections - Mock Road and Sunbury Drive Project; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the appropriation of $79,000.00 within the Special Purpose Fund 2223, Subfund 222332; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the transfer of $483,481.00 within the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund 7702; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the amendment of the 2021 Capital Improvements Budget Ordinance 2707-2021 in order to provide sufficient budget authority for this and future projects; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the expenditure of $562,481.00 from the Special Purpose Fund 2223, Subfund 222332 and Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund 7702; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the Recreation and Parks Department in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into contract with Michael Baker International, Inc. as the State of Ohio grant funding the future construction portion of this project has a deadline of July of 2022 for the consultant to complete the environmental assessment and public engagement for this project, all for the preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare and, NOW, THEREFORE
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Recreation and Parks be and is hereby authorized to enter into contract with Michael Baker International, Inc. to provide professional services associated with the Alum Creek Trail Connections - Mock Road and Sunbury Drive Project.
SECTION 2. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 3. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer the unencumbered balance in a project account to the unallocated balance account within the same fund upon receipt of certification by the Director of the Department administering said project that the project has been completed and the monies are no longer required for said project.
SECTION 5. That the appropriation of $79,000.00 is authorized within the Special Purpose Fund 2223, Subfund 222332 per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 6. That the transfer of $483,481.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized between projects within the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund 7702 per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 7. That the 2021 Capital Improvements Budget Ordinance 2707-2021 is hereby amended as follows in order to provide sufficient budget authority for this ordinance and future projects.
Fund / Project / Project Name / Current / Change / Amended
Fund 7702 / P512000-100000; New Development - Misc. (Voted Carryover); $2,655,992 / ($205,682) / $2,450,310
Fund 7702 / P512012-100000; Confluence Village Park (Voted Carryover); $277,799 / ($277,799) / $0
Fund 7702 / P512027-100000; Alum Creek Trail Connections - Mock Road and Sunbury Drive Legislation (Voted Carryover); $0 / $483,481 / $483,481
SECTION 8. For the purpose stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $562,481.00 or so much thereof as may be necessary to pay the cost thereof, be and is hereby authorized from the Special Purpose Fund 2223, Subfund 222332 Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund 7702 in object class 06 Capital Outlay per the accounting codes in the attachments to this ordinance.
SECTION 9. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.